Phat Girlz
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C Main Feature: C
Monique
is a comic actress and stand-up comedian who could be on the verge of a
breakthrough in acting, but is finding mixed success on the way. Writer/director Nnegest Likké’s Phat Girlz (2006) gives her a chance to
do a comedy about a fashion designer who is looking for a man and commercial
success at the same time. The jokes are
either about her weight, need for sex or how unfair the world is to her.
Sometimes,
this works, but the story never goes into additional directions where we could
have learned more about her character or the real reasons she may have gone
into fashion to begin with. What could
have been at least a partial character study is just a light comedy at best with
some moments that work, but the ones that do not might be too much for some to
wait for. Monique has talent and this is
not a disaster, but her finest hour is yet to come I hope.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85X 1 image is shot on older digital High Definition
video and has all kinds of lens flaws and other ghosting issues. It is a little annoying throughout. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is surround-weak
and you can tell this was a low-budget production with the way the dialogue has
fidelity limits. Extras include a
producer tribute, blooper reel, two featurettes, director commentary and
extended/deleted/alternate scenes.
- Nicholas Sheffo
